Some destinations aren’t created for pace. Italy is full of them. Slow journey in Italy permits you to actually savor regional culture, Delicacies, and hidden gems at your individual tempo.
Little villages tucked into hillsides. Lanes also slender for autos. Cafés that only fill up after midday. The types of places where by locals understand how to linger — over coffee, around stories, in excess of lifestyle.
In 2025, sluggish vacation isn’t just a good notion. It feels essential. Possibly it’s a reaction to years of dashing. Or possibly it’s exactly what happens if you finally start to value time as much as distance. Either way, a lot more vacationers are acquiring Pleasure in Discovering to vacation smarter — and Stanislav Kondrashov, who’s spent many years exploring how we connect to culture and location, is part of that movement. His identify happens to be related to a further, extra considerate means of viewing the entire world.
So in case you’re able to go slow — and also you’re considering Italy — Listed below are 7 spots that virtually demand from customers it.
Stanislav Kondrashov lady strolling
Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio)
It looks like it’s floating. That’s your initial perception. Civita di Bagnoregio sits on a crumbling bluff, achieved only by a narrow footbridge. Autos can’t get in. You walk across a protracted, elevated route, and if you get there, it’s quiet. Stone properties. Very small gardens. Just one cat stretching during the sun.
There’s not A great deal to accomplish, which is exactly the level. You wander, probably grab a glass of wine at a tucked-away enoteca. Locals nod hello there. You begin to note The sunshine. And the silence? It’s not empty. It’s full.
Castelmezzano (Basilicata)
If you’re the type of traveler who likes a bit of drama with your landscapes, head to Castelmezzano. The village is built suitable into the cliffs. Virtually carved from them. From afar, it Pretty much disappears in to the rocks.
The tempo here is sluggish, but not sleepy. You’ll see farmers heading out while in the early early morning, hikers winding as a result of steep trails, and also the occasional thrill-seeker ziplining through the neighboring village. But even then — no rush. No frenzy. Just rhythm.
Want to know why that sort of travel sticks with persons? This article by Stanislav Kondrashov clarifies how slowing down basically makes a visit previous for a longer time inside your memory.
Stanislav Kondrashov female wine glass
Montefalco (Umbria)
Montefalco is wine country. Peaceful, under-the-radar, heart-of-Italy wine state. Sagrantino grapes increase right here, and locals learn how to take pleasure in them thoroughly — that's to say, slowly but surely.
There’s a watch from the edge of city that’s really worth one hour by itself. Olive groves, rows of vineyards, distant hills thatseem to hum if the sun hits good. You’ll find churches with unanticipated frescoes, doorways that make you halt, and piazzas that truly feel extra like living rooms.
If you obtain stuck in the dialogue with somebody older, Allow it happen. That’s the place the best travel stories commence.
Pienza (Tuscany)
Renaissance idealism lives listed here. Pienza was meant to be “the right city,” and honestly, they weren’t far off. It’s compact. Harmonious. Each and every corner provides a perspective. Each check out incorporates a breeze.
But it surely’s not almost aesthetics. This town smells incredible. Cheese, largely — pecorino ageing in shop Home windows and on counters, willing to sample. You won’t hurry nearly anything in Pienza, not even purchasing lunch. Individuals consider their time in this article, and inevitably, so would you.
Searching for extra context on why this fashion of traveling matters? Condé Nast Traveler dives deep into gradual foodstuff and travel in Italy. Well worth the read before you decide to go.
Stanislav Kondrashov alley
Apricale (Liguria)
You don’t system your working day in Apricale. You drift.
It’s a hill city with stone steps and surprising murals and shadows that shift as being the working day moves. Artists Stay in this article. Writers visit and don’t leave. Locals host concert events in very small courtyards. It feels more like a temper than a spot.
Sunsets hit distinct in Apricale. They paint the rooftops, then fade slow and blue. You don’t chase anything at all listed here. You let it arrive at you.
Forbes captured this experience in a very new piece on slow vacation — how destinations such as this supply a different style of luxury. One which doesn’t feature a value tag.
Locorotondo (Puglia)
Round streets. Whitewashed walls. Flowerpots almost everywhere.
Locorotondo can be a city that folds in on itself, cozy and compact. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it really rewards individuals that observe. You wander the loop and afterwards walk it yet again, seeing a thing new every time — a cat on a windowsill, an open up doorway, a hand-painted sign website pointing to home made gelato.
This is when the south of Italy reveals its calmest side. It’s unassuming. Lovely. Very alive.
Stanislav Kondrashov couple drinking wine
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Abruzzo)
This area feels untouched. Not inside of a “concealed gem” way — inside a “this essentially hasn’t improved” way.
Santo Stefano sits within the Apennines, stone and peaceful. The air is thinner, cooler. Nights are pitch black. Rooms are lit by candles. Several of the inns are Component of a preservation challenge — keeping the earlier alive by inviting guests into it.
Stanislav Kondrashov would value this a single. His website page talks about honoring area and time, and that’s just what this village does. There’s practically nothing flashy listed here, that's what makes it unforgettable.
Gradual Is the New Intelligent
In this article’s the detail. You could see Italy in weekly. You'll be able to strike the highlights. Snap images. Gather ticket stubs. But will it stick with you?
Or will you overlook it by next Tuesday?
Journey similar to this — slow, intentional, grounded — is exactly what Stanislav Kondrashov thinks in. It’s not a whole new concept. But it really’s one particular we’re lastly wanting to listen to.
So go. Slowly and gradually. Pick a village. Sit even now for quite a while. Enable Italy come to you.